U.S. patent application number 14/990931 was filed with the patent office on 2017-07-13 for method and device for correcting antenna phase.
The applicant listed for this patent is NATIONAL CHUNG SHAN INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY. Invention is credited to NAN-WEI CHEN, DUN-YUAN CHENG, HSI-TSENG CHOU, MING-WHAY LAI, KUNG-YU LU.
Application Number | 20170201020 14/990931 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 59275960 |
Filed Date | 2017-07-13 |
United States Patent
Application |
20170201020 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
CHOU; HSI-TSENG ; et
al. |
July 13, 2017 |
METHOD AND DEVICE FOR CORRECTING ANTENNA PHASE
Abstract
A method for correcting antenna phases includes a beam angle
calculating step, beam angle adjusting step, antenna emission
measuring step and beam angle correcting step. The method involves
comparing a difference between the ideal antenna phase value and
the measured beam angle value, determining according to the
difference that the beam direction of the antenna needs to be
corrected, and adding the difference to a current ideal antenna
phase value in the algorithm to calculate another ideal antenna
phase value for being sent to the phase control circuit and used in
executing the beam angle adjusting step in a next instance of
measurement process until the beam angle correcting step finds the
difference which requires no correction of the beam direction of
the antenna. Therefore, temperature-dependent errors do not occur
to beam directions, thereby enhancing the communication efficiency
of an antenna system.
Inventors: |
CHOU; HSI-TSENG; (TAIPEI,
TW) ; CHENG; DUN-YUAN; (CHUNG-LI, TW) ; LU;
KUNG-YU; (TAOYUAN CITY, TW) ; CHEN; NAN-WEI;
(CHUNG-LI, TW) ; LAI; MING-WHAY; (TAOYUAN CITY,
TW) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
NATIONAL CHUNG SHAN INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY |
TAOYUAN CITY |
|
TW |
|
|
Family ID: |
59275960 |
Appl. No.: |
14/990931 |
Filed: |
January 8, 2016 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01Q 3/267 20130101;
H01Q 1/246 20130101; H01Q 3/36 20130101; G01R 29/10 20130101; H01Q
3/2605 20130101 |
International
Class: |
H01Q 3/34 20060101
H01Q003/34 |
Claims
1. A method for correcting antenna phases, adapted to correct a
direction of a beam of an antenna controlled with a phase control
circuit, the method comprising: a beam angle calculating step for
calculating an ideal antenna phase value with an algorithm
according to a predetermined beam direction and sending the ideal
antenna phase value to the phase control circuit; a beam angle
adjusting step for adjusting the direction of the beam emitted from
the antenna with the phase control circuit according to the ideal
antenna phase value; an antenna emission measuring step for
measuring the direction of the beam of the antenna to obtain a
measured beam angle value; a determining step for comparing the
ideal antenna phase value and the measured beam angle value to find
a difference therebetween, followed by determining whether the
difference goes beyond an allowed range of errors, wherein the
determining step is followed by a beam angle correcting step if the
difference goes beyond the allowed range of errors, otherwise
process flow of the method ends; and the beam angle correcting step
for adding the difference to a current ideal antenna phase value in
the algorithm to calculate another ideal antenna phase value for
being sent to the phase control circuit and used in executing the
beam angle adjusting step in a next instance of measurement process
until the determining step determines that the difference does not
go beyond the allowed range of errors.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein, in the beam angle adjusting
step, after the phase control circuit has received the other ideal
antenna phase value, the beam direction of the antenna is reset to
an initial direction and then adjusted according to the other ideal
antenna phase value.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein, in the beam angle adjusting
step, after the phase control circuit has received the other ideal
antenna phase value, the beam direction of the antenna is adjusted
according to the difference between the ideal antenna phase value
and the other ideal antenna phase value.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the algorithm is a gene
algorithm.
5. A device for correcting antenna phases, adapted to adjust a beam
angle of an antenna, the device comprising: a calculation module
for calculating an ideal antenna phase value with an algorithm
according to a predetermined beam direction and sending the ideal
antenna phase value; a phase control module coupled to the
calculation module to adjust the direction of the beam emitted from
the antenna according to the ideal antenna phase value received;
and a measurement module coupled to the calculation module to
measure an emission situation of the antenna so as to generate and
send a measured beam angle value to the calculation module, wherein
the calculation module compares the ideal antenna phase value and
the measured beam angle value to calculate a difference
therebetween, wherein, when the beam direction of the antenna needs
to correct, adds the difference to a current ideal antenna phase
value and calculates with the algorithm according to the difference
another ideal antenna phase value for being sent to the phase
control circuit and used in executing the beam angle adjusting step
in a next instance of measurement process until the difference
which requires no correction of the beam direction of the antenna
is found.
6. The device of claim 5, wherein, after the phase control module
has received the other ideal antenna phase value, the beam
direction of the antenna is reset to an initial direction and then
adjusted according to the other ideal antenna phase value.
7. The device of claim 5, wherein, after the phase control module
has received the other ideal antenna phase value, the beam
direction of the antenna is adjusted according to the difference
between the ideal antenna phase value and the other ideal antenna
phase value.
8. The device of claim 5, wherein the algorithm is a gene
algorithm.
9. The device of claim 5, wherein the phase control module is an
electronic phase shifter.
10. The device of claim 5, wherein the antenna is an array
antenna.
11. The device of claim 5, wherein the antenna is a base station
antenna.
Description
FIELD OF TECHNOLOGY
[0001] The present invention relates to methods and devices for
correcting antenna phases and more particularly to a method and
device for correcting antenna phases.
BACKGROUND
[0002] A conventional antenna system uses an algorithm to control a
phase control circuit and adjust beam directions. However, the
phase control circuit leads to errors when subjected to
temperature-induced interference, and thus the directions of the
beams of the conventional antenna system can hardly be adjusted
correctly. To overcome the aforesaid drawback, the prior art
requires executing an optimization program repeatedly to augment
the communication strength of the conventional antenna system.
However, over-execution of the optimization program results in an
increase of the operating temperature of the phase control circuit
to therefore cause errors.
[0003] Another conventional antenna system is characterized by a
thermometer and a coolant which are disposed beside the phase
control circuit to keep the temperature of the phase control
circuit within a specific range so as to preclude the undesired
effect which might otherwise be brought about by an increase in the
temperature. Although the aforesaid conventional antenna system is
effective in controlling the operating temperature of the control
phase control circuit, it incurs higher equipment costs.
[0004] Accordingly, it is imperative to provide a method and device
for correcting antenna phases to overcome the aforesaid drawbacks
of the prior art.
SUMMARY
[0005] It is an objective of the present invention to provide a
method and device for correcting antenna phases regardless of the
operating temperature of an electronic phase shifter
[0006] In order to achieve the above and other objectives, the
present invention provides a method for correcting antenna phases,
adapted to correct a direction of a beam of an antenna controlled
with a phase control circuit, the method comprising a beam angle
calculating step, beam angle adjusting step, antenna emission
measuring step, determining step and beam angle correcting step.
The beam angle calculating step calculates an ideal antenna phase
value with an algorithm according to a predetermined beam direction
and sends the ideal antenna phase value to the phase control
circuit. The beam angle adjusting step adjusts the direction of the
beam emitted from the antenna with the phase control circuit
according to the ideal antenna phase value. The antenna emission
measuring step measures the direction of the beam of the antenna to
obtain a measured beam angle value. The determining step compares
the ideal antenna phase value and the measured beam angle value to
find a difference therebetween, and then determines whether the
difference goes beyond an allowed range of errors, wherein the
determining step is followed by the beam angle correcting step if
the difference goes beyond the allowed range of errors, otherwise
process flow of the method ends. The beam angle correcting step
adds the difference to a current ideal antenna phase value in the
algorithm to calculate another ideal antenna phase value for being
sent to the phase control circuit and used in executing the beam
angle adjusting step in a next instance of measurement process
until the determining step determines that the difference does not
go beyond the allowed range of errors.
[0007] In an embodiment of the present invention, in the beam angle
adjusting step, after the phase control circuit has received the
other ideal antenna phase value, the beam direction of the antenna
is reset to an initial direction and then adjusted according to the
other ideal antenna phase value.
[0008] In an embodiment of the present invention, in the beam angle
adjusting step, after the phase control circuit has received the
other ideal antenna phase value, the beam direction of the antenna
is adjusted according to the difference between the ideal antenna
phase value and the other ideal antenna phase value.
[0009] In an embodiment of the present invention, the algorithm is
a gene algorithm.
[0010] In order to achieve the above and other objectives, the
present invention further provides a device for correcting antenna
phases, adapted to adjust a beam angle of an antenna, the device
comprising: a calculation module for calculating an ideal antenna
phase value with an algorithm according to a predetermined beam
direction and sending the ideal antenna phase value; a phase
control module coupled to the calculation module to adjust the
direction of the beam emitted from the antenna according to the
ideal antenna phase value received; and a measurement module
coupled to the calculation module to measure an emission situation
of the antenna so as to generate and send a measured beam angle
value to the calculation module, wherein the calculation module
compares the ideal antenna phase value and the measured beam angle
value to calculate a difference therebetween, wherein, when the
beam direction of the antenna needs to correct, adds the difference
to a current ideal antenna phase value and calculates with the
algorithm according to the difference another ideal antenna phase
value for being sent to the phase control circuit and used in
executing the beam angle adjusting step in a next instance of
measurement process until the difference which requires no
correction of the beam direction of the antenna is found.
[0011] In an embodiment of the present invention, after the phase
control module has received the other ideal antenna phase value,
the beam direction of the antenna is reset to an initial direction
and then adjusted according to the other ideal antenna phase
value.
[0012] In an embodiment of the present invention, after the phase
control module has received the other ideal antenna phase value,
the beam direction of the antenna is adjusted according to the
difference between the ideal antenna phase value and the other
ideal antenna phase value.
[0013] In an embodiment of the present invention, the phase control
module is an electronic phase shifter.
[0014] In an embodiment of the present invention, the antenna is an
array antenna or a base station antenna.
[0015] Hence, the correction method and correction device of the
present invention take into account of the difference between an
ideal antenna phase value and a measured beam angle value and add
the difference to a current ideal antenna phase value in the
algorithm to allow antenna phase changes to meet expectations,
allow the beam angle of the antenna to meet expectations, and
enhance the communication efficiency of the antenna system by
ensuring that temperature-dependent errors will not happen to the
beam direction of the antenna system.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION
[0016] Objectives, features, and advantages of the present
invention are hereunder illustrated with specific embodiments in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0017] FIG. 1 is a function block diagram of a device for
correcting antenna phases according to an embodiment of the present
invention; and
[0018] FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a method for correcting antenna
phases according to an embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0019] An embodiment of the present invention is applicable to a
high-gain and high-directivity base station antenna system or smart
antenna system. The antenna systems usually use an array antenna to
achieve high-gain and high-directivity characteristics and enhance
the performance of services offered to receiver ends in a specific
region by adjusting the beam direction of the antenna. In various
embodiments of the present invention, the beam direction refers to
the main beam direction of the antenna, but the present invention
is not limited thereto, as beams emitted from any similar antenna
and directed in a specific direction are also applicable to the
present invention.
[0020] Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, there are shown a function
block diagram of a device for correcting antenna phases according
to an embodiment of the present invention and a flowchart of a
method for correcting antenna phases according to an embodiment of
the present invention, respectively. The correction device 1
controls an antenna 2 and comprises a calculation module 10, a
phase control module 20 and a measurement module 30.
[0021] The calculation module 10 calculates an ideal antenna phase
value with an algorithm according to a user-defined beam direction
whenever the user wants to adjust the beam direction of the antenna
2 and then outputs the ideal antenna phase value. The algorithm is
a gene algorithm. Persons skilled in the art understand that the
gene algorithm is an optimization technique developed by simulating
the evolution mechanism typical of organisms, and that better
solutions can be provided by taking account of the degree of
adaptation in the solutions of each generation of the gene
algorithm and then effectuating evolution to thereby generate the
solution of a next generation.
[0022] The phase control module 20 is coupled to the calculation
module 10. After the phase control module 20 has received the ideal
antenna phase value, the phase control module 20 adjusts the phase
of the antenna 2 according to the ideal antenna phase value and
thus changes the direction of the beam emitted from the antenna 2.
The phase control module 20 is an electronic phase shifter.
[0023] The measurement module 30 is coupled to the calculation
module 10. After the beam direction of the antenna 2 has been
changed, the measurement module 30 measures the emission situation
of the antenna 2 and thus obtains a measured beam angle value. In
this regard, the measurement module 30 sends the measured beam
angle value to the calculation module 10.
[0024] Due to external factors related to temperature and
electromagnetic interference, the phase control module 20 may fail
to adjust accurately the direction of the beam emitted from the
antenna 2, and in consequence the actual direction of the beam
emitted from the antenna 2 does not meet expectations. Hence, after
the calculation module 10 has received the measured beam angle
value from the measurement module 30, the calculation module 10
compares the ideal antenna phase value and the measured beam angle
value to calculate the difference therebetween. If the difference
falls within an allowed range, it indicates that the beam direction
of the antenna 2 is correct, and thus the beam direction of the
antenna 2 requires no further correction. If the difference falls
outside the allowed range, it indicates that the beam direction of
the antenna 2 has a significant error and thus requires further
correction made by the phase control module 20; hence, the
calculation module 10 generates a second-generation ideal antenna
phase value with the gene algorithm and according to the
difference. Then, the calculation module 10 sends the
second-generation ideal antenna phase value to the phase control
module 20 to execute the beam angle adjusting step in the next
instance of measurement process. Eventually, repeated instances of
measurement process generate new-generation ideal antenna phase
values repeatedly until the difference between the ideal antenna
phase value and the measured beam angle value falls within the
allowed range, thereby ending the correction operation.
[0025] In an embodiment, after the phase control module 20 has
received the second-generation ideal antenna phase value, the phase
control module 20 resets the beam direction of the antenna 2 to the
initial direction and then adjusts the beam direction of the
antenna 2 according to the second-generation ideal antenna phase
value. In another embodiment, after the phase control module 20 has
received the second-generation ideal antenna phase value, the phase
control module 20 adjusts the beam direction of the antenna 2
according to the difference between the ideal antenna phase value
and the second-generation ideal antenna phase value without
resetting the beam direction of the antenna 2 to the initial
direction first.
[0026] The correction method of the present invention is hereunder
described mathematically. The definitions of related parameters for
use in the mathematical expressions of the correction method of the
present invention are presented below.
.theta..sub.mb: beam angle to be adjusted .theta..sub.gai: ideal
antenna phase value calculated with the gene algorithm
.theta..sub.i: measured beam angle value measured with the
measurement module 30 i: number of instances of measurement
.phi..sub.k: difference between ideal antenna phase value and
measured beam angle value k: number of instances of measurement
.alpha.: allowed range of errors
[0027] After the beam angle .theta..sub.mb of the antenna 2 has
been configured, the first-instance measurement process begins;
meanwhile, i=1, .theta..sub.mb=.theta..sub.ga1, wherein the
actually measured beam angle value is denoted with .theta..sub.i,
and the difference .phi..sub.1=.theta..sub.ga1-.theta..sub.1. If
|.phi..sub.1|>.alpha. (i.e., the difference is larger than an
allowed range of errors), then the second measurement will begin.
The second-instance measurement process requires that the
difference .phi..sub.1 of the first-instance measurement process
must be taken into account; meanwhile i=2,
.theta..sub.ga2=.theta..sub.ga1+.phi..sub.1, wherein the actually
measured beam angle value is denoted with .theta..sub.2, and the
difference .phi..sub.2=.theta..sub.ga2-.theta..sub.2. If
|.phi..sub.2|>.alpha., then the third-instance measurement
process will begin, that is, i=3,
.theta..sub.ga3=.theta..sub.ga2+.phi..sub.2, until
|.phi..sub.k|.ltoreq..alpha. which means that the difference falls
within the allowed range of errors, thereby ending the process flow
of the correction method.
[0028] Referring to FIG. 2, there is shown a flowchart of a method
for correcting antenna phases according to an embodiment of the
present invention.
[0029] After the beam direction of the antenna has been determined,
step S01 begins, thereby starting the process flow of the
correction method. The beam angle calculating step S02 involves
calculating an ideal antenna phase value with an algorithm
according to a predetermined beam direction and sending the ideal
antenna phase value to the phase control circuit. The beam angle
adjusting step S03 involves adjusting the direction of the beam
emitted from the antenna with the phase control circuit according
to the ideal antenna phase value. The antenna emission measuring
step S04 involves measuring the direction of the beam of the
antenna to obtain a measured beam angle value. The determining step
S05 involves comparing the ideal antenna phase value and the
measured beam angle value to find the difference therebetween,
followed by determining whether the difference goes beyond an
allowed range of errors. The determining step S05 will be followed
by the beam angle correcting step S06 if the difference goes beyond
an allowed range of errors. The determining step S05 will be
followed by step S07 to end the process flow of the correction
method if the difference does not go beyond the allowed range of
errors. The beam angle correcting step S06 involves adding the
difference to a current ideal antenna phase value in the algorithm
to calculate another ideal antenna phase value for being sent to
the phase control circuit and used in executing the beam angle
adjusting step S03 in a next instance of measurement process until
the determining step S05 determines that the difference does not go
beyond the allowed range of errors.
[0030] Hence, the correction method and correction device of the
present invention take into account of the difference between an
ideal antenna phase value and a measured beam angle value and add
the difference to a current ideal antenna phase value in the
algorithm to allow antenna phase changes to meet expectations,
allow the beam angle of the antenna to meet expectations, and
enhance the communication efficiency of the antenna system by
ensuring that temperature-dependent errors will not happen to the
beam direction of the antenna system.
[0031] The present invention is disclosed above by preferred
embodiments. However, persons skilled in the art should understand
that the preferred embodiments are illustrative of the present
invention only, but should not be interpreted as restrictive of the
scope of the present invention. Hence, all equivalent modifications
and replacements made to the aforesaid embodiments should fall
within the scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the legal
protection for the present invention should be defined by the
appended claims.
* * * * *